Notes, observations and other thoughts about men's basketball played at 38th and Central...

It Don't Come Easy
As in the lyrics of Ringo Starr's hit 1970s song, it don't come easy especially when trying to beat the same team three times in a season.

However, Morton College was more than up to the task in taking out Oakton (13-18) 73-61 in the Region IV quarterfinals February 27th at home. It was the first time in 12 years that the Panthers beat an opponent three times in the same season as Morton College did it to Elgin in 2013.

Seventh heaven
The 2025 Skyway co-champion Panthers ran their win streak to seven games, the longest by any Morton College five since 2019. That's when the Panthers ran off nine consecutive wins to claim their last Region IV title. 

Next up
Morton College (21-10) heads to Rockford for a Region IV semifinal date against host Rock Valley (20-11) at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 2nd. The winner advances to the Region IV title game at 5 p.m.Saturday, March 8th.

The Panthers won the regular-season meeting 59-47 February 1st at home. In the contest, Rock Valley scored a season-low point total and had its second-lowest shooting percentage total at 31 percent. Now, the Golden Eagles also are on a seven-game win streak. Notches in their belt along the way include wins over No. 21 Madison and No. 24 South Suburban. 

Rock Valley also faced the tricky test of beating the same team twice in five days when the Golden Eagles downed Illinois Valley February 27th in their Region IV quarterfinal contest.

Rock Valley and Black Hawk are the only two remaining schools that have both its men's and women's teams left in the Region IV semifinals.

What a difference…
In having Dre Nobles in the lineup. Since the 6-5 sophomore joined the Panthers for the second part of the season, Morton College is 15-3. He came up with his sixth double-double of the season against Oakton, going off for 23 points and 13 rebounds. Nobles also had 3 steals and 2 assists.

It's déjà vu all over again…
For Adrian Anderson. For the second straight game, the sophomore guard provided the Panthers with a huge burst of energy going into the locker room at halftime. He picked off an errant pass and went coast-to-coast for a layup with 0.4 seconds to go in extending Morton College's lead to 33-27.

Anderson turned in another solid all-around performance with 13 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals.

Brooks it!
Jordan Brooks was the third member of the Panthers in double figures with 16 points. His back-to-back three-pointers turned Morton College's 57-46 lead into one of 63-46 with 6:06 left. Brooks' fourth and final three gave the Panthers their biggest lead of the night at 20. That also gave Brooks a team-leading 68 three-pointers.

The British invasion
Nathaneal Lewis scored eight points with two dunks and a slashing drive move to hoop. Those three plays are just another sign of Lewis' rapid improvement from a year ago.

Not to be overlooked
Ethan Norman – 7 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Kevin Cathey Jr. – 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists

Sunday at Rock Valley
District A semifinals
Noon - #1 Bryant & Stratton (26-5) vs. #9 Black Hawk (17-13)
2 p.m. - #5 Morton College (21-10) vs. #4 Rock Valley (20-11)

Thursday's results
#1 Bryant & Stratton 91 #16 Elgin 77
#9 Black Hawk 69 #8 DuPage 59
#5 Morton College 73 #12 Oakton 61
#4 Rock Valley 79 #13 Illinois Valley 75

District B semifinals
4 p.m. - #2 Waubonsee (28-3) vs. #10 Milwaukee Area Tech (13-17)
6 p.m. - #6 Madison (19-9) vs. #3 South Suburban (21-10)

Thursday's results
#2 Waubonsee 87 #15 Lake County 58
#10 Milwaukee Area Tech 81 #7 Moraine Valley 78
#6 Madison 103 #11 Carl Sandburg 84
#3 South Suburban 88 #14 Prairie State 58